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Jesus Lopez
Jesus Lopez is the founder and executive director of the Orlando Youth Chamber Ensembles (OYCE), a professional music educator, and a woodwind specialist. A product of Orange County Public Schools with an upbringing in Central Florida, he studied clarinet performance at Valencia College and earned his bachelor’s degree in music from Rollins College. His teachers include Erik Cole, Vanessa Vaché, Tom Dietz, Sherwood Hawkins, and Dr. John Sinclair.
Mr.Lopez has performed with the Villages Philharmonic Orchestra, the Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra, and toured internationally with the China tour of Chicago: The Musical. His work spans multiple genres, including performances with Latin artists such as Los Adolescentes and Lalo Rodríguez. He has been a featured performer at the International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest.
As an educator, his students have performed at the Essentially Ellington Regional Jazz Festival, the Lakeside Jazz Festival, and the inaugural Orange Blossom Jazz Festival. In 2025, he served as the All-County Middle School Jazz Clinician for Osceola County. His favorite part of working with young musicians is cultivating an appreciation of the arts.
Bill Cunningham
Bill Cunningham is the Director of Bands and Visual Performing Arts Department Chair at Lake Buena Vista High School in Orlando, Florida. Since opening the school in 2021, the Lake Buena Vista Band has already received recognition for outstanding performances in all genres throughout Florida and the Southeastern US. The Viper Vanguard is a multiple time FFCC/FMBC Regional Class Champion, and the concert and jazz ensembles have been recognized as Grand Champions at the Peach Bowl Festival in Atlanta, Georgia.
Previously, Mr. Cunningham served as the Director of Bands at Olympia High School in Orlando where, among many accomplishments, the jazz program more than tripled in size during his tenure. He was privileged to serve as a conductor for the OCPS Middle School all-county jazz band and currently serves as the high school chairperson for the OCPS All-County Jazz festival. He maintains professional affiliations with the Florida Bandmaster’s Association, Florida Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education and has served on the Indiana State School Music Association State Board.
In addition to teaching, Mr. Cunningham still plays trombone in many community ensembles in the Central Florida area. Mr. Cunningham earned his Bachelor’s in Music Education (Magna Cum Laude) at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is excited to serve the Orlando community through involvement in OYCE this coming season
Devin Bieber
Mr. Bieber is a bassoonist, educator, business owner, and inventor here in Central Florida. He is also the founding director of the OYCE Double Reed Ensemble. As an educator, he has always strived to get as many students involved in middle school band as possible, and currently teaches the largest band program in Osceola County. Moreover, his private bassoon students have continued to earn positions in Florida’s FMEA/FBA All-State ensembles throughout the years - oftentimes achieving first and second chairs respectively.
One of Mr. Bieber’s biggest passions is the art of reed-making. It was this sentiment that led him to invent dozens of unique double reed products that are currently being used by students, educators, enthusiasts, and top orchestral musicians across the globe today.
It is his belief that oboists and bassoonists should be taught reed-making prior to high school and college, and often introduces the techniques to students at an early age. This has resulted in dozens of proficient reed-makers that have gone on to achieve success and respect within the double reed community.
Charles Hafner
Charles Hafner is currently the Band Director at Southwest Middle School in Orlando, Florida. Mr. Hafner received his B.A. degree in Music from Rollins College and studied clarinet under Patrick Graham and Erik Cole. At his previous school, Mr. Hafner has led the instrumental music program at his school to 250 students, which is close to a third of the total student population. He also taught marching band at Edgewater High School. He has had many experiences playing clarinet with various ensembles, orchestras, and musical productions, including the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park Orchestra. A product of OCPS schools, he is proud to serve the community and provide musical opportunities for all students in the community.
Kenya Earles
Mr. Earles received his undergratudate training in Music Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Hecurrently is a bass trombonist in the Orlando area and has spent many years performing around the world in both jazz and classical venues such as the Klaipeda jazz festival in Lithuania, as well as the Tallinn Estonia jazz festival and other various festivals. He was honored to represent the USA as a symphonic wind ensemble performer in the 60th anniversary of D-Day in the Normandy beach landing in France. He has performed for delagtes such Queen Elizabeth, President George W. Bush, French priminister Jacques Chirac, and English Prime Minister Tony Blair. Mr. Earles has also peformed with the Omaha Symphony, Nebraska Jazz orchestra and various brass ensembles throughout his career.
Mr. Earles also has an extensive career as an educator in the Omaha public schools, the Council Bluffs public schools, Orange county public schools and also as adjunct faculty with Iowa Western Community College. He also has worked with the Omaha Area Youth Orchestras, Orlando Youth Symphony and currently serves as the Director of the Brass Ensemble for the Orlando Youth Chamber Ensembles. He currently has various private students in the Orlando area with students on trombone, tuba and euphonium.
Leo Lamos
Leo Lamos is a music educator with over 20 years of experience at the secondary
and college levels in the greater Orlando area. He currently serves as adjunct Professor of Music at Valencia College, where he teaches various music courses for music and non-music majors alike. He previously served as Director of Bands at Cypress Creek High School for over a decade, where he led ensembles to consistent Superior ratings at District and State MPA, finalist placements at the Florida Marching Band Championships and Bands of America Regionals, and performances at the Music for All Regionals. Under his tenure, the band was awarded multiple Otto J. Kraushaar Awards as well as the Lewis Jones Award for Highest Achievement through the Florida Bandmasters Association.
In addition to his teaching, Mr. Lamos serves as Chairman of the Board of Orlando
Youth Chamber Ensembles, a non-profit dedicated to chamber music education and
outreach for under-resourced school music programs, where he also directs the
organization's scholastic and alumni Wind Ensembles. He is a sought-out clinician and
adjudicator throughout the state of Florida. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Music Education from Florida State University.
Santiago Parra-Romero
A Colombian American jazz musician, composer, and educator known for his expertise on saxophone, clarinet, and flute. He teaches at the Avalon School of Music and leads Josephine Swing, the alumni big band for OYCE. Santiago is proud to be a two-time recipient of the Central Florida Jazz Society Scholarship. Additionally, he has performed at the Dr. Phillips Center, the Casselberry Arts Center, the Blue Bamboo, and the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center, and has collaborated with notable ensembles such as the Orlando Jazz Orchestra.
Kyle Sargent
Kyle Sargent is the band director at Bridgewater Middle School in Winter Garden, Florida and has proudly served in that position for the last five years. Mr. Sargent has been a music educator for 16 years and, before becoming the band director at Bridgewater, taught for 6 years in Apopka, FL, and 5 years in his home state of Georgia. He attended the University of Georgia (B.Mus, 2011) and, after graduating, immediately jumped into middle school band directing.
Mr. Sargent is very proud to have spent the first 12 years of his career in Title I schools, growing as an educator and helping build programs in communities with less resources, but great kids. Since Mr. Sargent arrived at Bridgewater, enrollment in the program has grown by almost 300%, and all performing groups consistently receive “Superior” ratings at district assessment events.
Mr. Sargent is an active member of the Florida Bandmaster’s Association, teaches at several music camps throughout the year, and is the assistant conductor of the Orlando Youth Chamber Ensemble’s Wind Ensemble.
Alex Bodytko
Alex started playing music in 6th grade where she picked up the clarinet. In 8th grade, she learned to play alto saxophone to perform in the school's jazz band. Her love of music lead her to get her bachelor's degree in Jazz Studies (tenor saxophone performance) at the University of Central Florida.
She performs at all of the area theme parks and became a statused Disney musician in 2014 and Universal musician in 2026. In 2021, she founded Music Ninja Productions LLC, an entertainment company that puts together bands for special events.
She is also the full time tenor saxophonist and vocalist for "The Bebop Bounty Big Band", a national touring 14 piece jazz band that performs a show called Cowboy Bebop Live! Her other freelance gigs includes playing in wedding/convention bands, special events, and she also plays solo/duo gigs at the area resorts and restaurants.
Eric Saidat
Mr. Eric Saidat earned his BA in Music Education in 2000 from Western Illinois University. He studied trombone under Dr. Hugo Magliocco and performed in all of the university’s top ensembles including the Grammy nominated WIU Jazz Studio Orchestra under the direction of Mr. Dale Hopper. Throughout his years of teaching, Mr. Saidat has instructed at the middle school and high school levels in band, orchestra, chorus, piano, and general music in Orange County Public Schools, Brevard County Public Schools, and Milwaukee Public Schools. He currently teaches at Avalon Middle School in East Orlando. While teaching in Florida, Mr. Saidat has led his ensembles to regular top ratings at district performances in concert and jazz performances including the FBA 5 year Superior Award for Jazz Band and Best Middle School Jazz Band at the Lakeside Jazz Festival. Additionally, Mr. Saidat has served as a guest clinician for the OCPS All-County Jazz Band Festival and he currently serves as a Solo and Ensemble judge for the Florida Bandmasters Association.
Mr. Saidat is a member of Florida Bandmasters Association, Florida Orchestra Association, Florida Music Education Association, National Association for Music Education, Orange County Classroom Teachers Association, Florida Education Association, National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, and is an alumni of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
“I am extremely honored and excited to join the OYCE staff this season and to work with the amazing young musicians from across the entire Central Florida Community!”
Ivette Ferreira
Ivette Carolina Ferreira is a Venezuelan violinist, music educator, and ensemble director with more than 25 years of experience inspiring young musicians. Classically trained and a former concertmaster of the Maracaibo Symphony Orchestra, she holds a Master of Music from
Simón Bolívar University and brings extensive experience from Venezuela’s renowned El Sistema program.
Since 2016, Ivette has expanded her musical journey into the vibrant world of Mexican mariachi. As a violinist with Mariachi Las Aztecas, she has performed at concerts, cultural events, and community celebrations while accompanying guest artists and vocalists. Her teaching combines strong classical technique with mariachi repertoire, stylistic interpretation, stage presence, and ensemble development.
Based in Orlando, Ivette is the Founder and Executive Director of Youth Orchestra United – El Sistema Orlando and the Founder and Director of South Strings Academy. She is passionate about building confident, disciplined, and joyful youth ensembles where tradition, artistry, and community come together.
Delaney Reilly
Delaney Reilly is a violinist and serves as the orchestra director at Chain of Lakes Middle School in OCPS. She graduated from Florida State University with her Bachelor’s in Music Education. While at FSU, Delaney was part of multiple orchestras and the World-Renowned Marching Chiefs, playing clarinet. She is also an alum of OYCE and an OCPS graduate!
In addition to teaching, she is also a contracted performer for the city of Orlando with DTO Live, playing electric violin at different activation sites around the city.
In her free time, she loves to DJ and also works for an entertainment company, regularly DJing weddings and events.
She is so excited to work with everyone and play some fun music!
